Taniwha MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Taniwha delves into the strategic depth of MTG by temporarily phasing out lands, essentially safeguarding them from opponents’ strategies that target lands. This also leads to “landfall” triggers as your lands phase in, maximizing the benefits each turn.

Resource Acceleration: Though not direct ramp, this leviathan offers a unique form of resource acceleration. During your untap step, any phased-out lands are untouched and ready for use, essentially doubling your mana every other turn. This provides a substantial boost, especially in decks built around maximizing land usage.

Instant Speed: While Taniwha itself is not an instant, it impacts gameplay at instant speed. Its phasing ability triggers during the untap step, making it an unpredictable factor that can sway the game’s tide swiftly and unexpectedly in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Certain MTG cards, like Taniwha, have mechanics that compel a player to discard cards. This can be detrimental, especially when your hand is already running low on options and every card you hold is critical for maintaining control over the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Taniwha’s mana cost includes specific symbols that require a dedicated deck build to optimally use. Such requirements can restrict the card’s versatility, making it less feasible in a deck where mana sources are varied or where achieving the right mana combination is uncertain.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana cost to bring Taniwha into play is relatively steep. When considering the resources spent to summon such creatures, players often compare them to other options in the same mana range. They might find that there are alternatives that offer more immediate impact or value without the accompanying downside that Taniwha brings to the battlefield.

Reasons to Include Taniwha in Your Collection

Versatility: Taniwha serves multiple roles within blue-focused decks. Besides being a powerful tribal addition, its phasing ability offers unique defensive strategies, dodging board wipes and removal spells.

Combo Potential: The phasing trait allows for interesting interactions with land-centric cards and enchantments. Its synergy with effects that trigger on creatures leaving or entering the battlefield can be a game-changer.

Meta-Relevance: As the landscape of the game shifts, Taniwha has the potential to shine in metas where traditional creature removal is prevalent. Its inherent evasion through phasing, coupled with being a formidable creature, can give you a substantial edge.

How to beat

Taniwha is a unique creature in the world of Magic: The Gathering, presenting a challenge with its elusive phasing ability and potential for high impact in the right deck. To successfully navigate against Taniwha, focus on timing and resource management. Since it phases in and out of existence, plan your removal spells or board wipes for when Taniwha is present during the untap phase. Land destruction and control cards lose efficiency due to this disruptor, so opt for direct creature removal while Taniwha is phased in.

Traditional strategies like counterspells can be highly effective. By waiting for the opportune moment when Taniwha enters the battlefield, you can counter the spell before the threat is fully realized. Flexibility in your plays and maintaining open mana for reactive spells can swing the momentum in your favor. Additionally, as Taniwha forces your lands to phase out, utilize mana artifacts or alternative resources to circumvent this setback and maintain your plays. Mastering the phasing rhythm and countering the Mono-blue shenanigans that Taniwha offers can secure your victory in these watery battles.